Main Life Goal. Life Fulfillment. – Finney’s Fast 5

In June and July, we began a series comparing Christian radio listeners with Christians nationwide on beliefs and faith attitudes. You can see both reports from JUNE and JULY. Using Barna Research’s nationwide survey results on Beliefs and Faith Attitudes, we asked the same questions of Christian radio listeners in multiple markets across the US to see if their beliefs are similar to or different from Christians nationwide. This month, we’re focused on Main Life Goal/Life Fulfillment. Using the statements below, we asked Christian radio listeners if they Agree or Disagree with these statements. The percentages are the sumof “Completely Agree” and “Somewhat Agree”.

Wow. A smack-in-the-face heaping helping of 2017 reality! Truth = The main purpose of life is to bring glory to God. Our churches and our Spoken Word content teach it. Our songs sing it. Our announcers reflect it. And, yet, two thirds of Christians nationwide believe that “the highest goal of life is to enjoy it”. Four in ten Christian radio listeners agree with that statement. The percentages of agreement are even higher when the same idea is phrased as “To be fulfilled in life, you should pursue the things you desire most.”

We must teach/sing/reflect/proclaim the Truth.If we’re going to do so effectively, we can’t presume the listener’s understanding of Truth. When about half of our current listeners, and two thirds of our potential listeners, agree with statements like this, we risk a communication gap. And in our short-attention-span-theatre, I-have-two-hundred-channels-and-will-leave-if-you’re-not-connecting-with-me-right-now world, if there is a gap, she will likely check out mentally/emotionally or leave.

*BarnaTrends 2017, p. 53

Chuck Finney is the President of Finney Media and has over 30 years experience helping radio stations grow audience and deepen relationships with listeners. He led Salem’s KLTY Dallas to record audience levels and served as National Program Director for Salem’s Fish CCM stations. While with KLTY, the station won multiple awards, including NRB Music Station Of The Year, the CMB Major Market Station Of The Year and the NAB Religious Station Of The Year.

Chuck served as Chairman of Christian Music Broadcasters and currently serves on the Radio Committee of NRB.

Since 2009, he has consulted Christian Music and Teaching radio stations and ministries internationally, helping them reach more people while being Gospel-focused.

He and his wife of 25 years, Lynda, live in the DFW area and have two daughters.